Hold On To Your Heart
by AWolfAmongSwans
Summary: AU. While out in the woods one day, Princess Emma stumbles upon a peculiar box, which leads her face to face with the man that her parents had long told her stories of ever since she was a child. [A request from vampygurl402 for arashi wolf princess]


**A/N: I hadn't intended to write any Gremma fics for a while, but I wound up getting a message on here from someone asking if I could do a Emma/Huntsman one-shot as a belated birthday gift for someone. So this is what I came up with.**

**This was request from vampygurl402 for arashi wolf princess. Happy belated birthday.**

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><p>The forest was always especially lovely this time of day, 20-year-old princess Emma found. When the rays of light from the sun would peek through the leaves and branches, leaving an intricate design of shadows along the forest floor. That was one of the reasons she always loved the woods so much, no matter how many times you went out to wander in them, there was always something new and exciting to be discovered there.<p>

On this particular day, she decided to take a new route through the forest for a change of pace.

She had been walking for a while when suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a small glimmer of light. Turning her head, she spotted that the shine in question had come from the bottom of a large ravine that cascaded down the side of the hill, where a small stream ran quietly through it.

It was likely just a wet rock, catching the sunlight, Emma thought to herself. And yet for some reason, she just couldn't ignore it. She wasn't sure what it was, but _something_ was compelling her to investigate it more than just simple curiosity.

So slowly, she made her way down in to the ravine, being careful not to slip on the path of uneven rocks that lead there.

As she reached the bottom, she finally found the object producing the shimmer. Nestled closely between two rocks was a small, dark bronze box. It would be a nearly impossible task for anyone with large hands to try to remove the container from its position. But luckily for Emma, her hands were just small enough that it could reach in and pull the object out from its hiding place.

After brushing the item off, she held the box up to better examine it. It had some weight to it, so clearly there was something inside. Not feeling like it would be the best idea to open it down in her current setting, surround by jagged rocks and running water, she thought it better to head back up into the forest and open it there.

Making her way back up the ravine, she perched herself down on a small boulder. Placing the box on her lap, she carefully undid the latch and pulled it open. Her eyes widened as she saw the content of the box.

She wasn't quite sure what it was exactly, but it was _glowing_. Hesitantly, she slowly touched the mysterious object. There was no new response from it, all it did was glow just as it had been before. Ever so gently, she removed the object from the box and placed it carefully in her hand.

Something about this seemed oddly familiar. Digging through her memories, she tried to think of where she had heard of something like this before. A story from her childhood, maybe? "Hm..." She mused, feeling it was just on the tip of her tongue.

"It'll..." She paused for a moment, as a hawk let out a loud screech as if passed by overhead. "Come to me." She finished saying. But as she did, there was a small shift in the air and she swore she almost thought she felt the object move slightly.

Convinced it was just her imagination, she ignored it and focused her attention back to what was in her hand. She had never see anything quite like it before.

She was so deep in thought as she examined the thing, she hadn't noticed someone standing there. When she looked up, the sight of man gave her such a shock that she nearly lost her balance and fell off the rock. Shifting to a standing position, she quickly scanned his appearance.

He was tall, scruffy, with curly brown locks and piercing blue eyes. Dressed in leather and animal furs, he appeared to be a hunter of sorts. But despite his youthful appearance, he looked particularly worn and weathered.

The man's gaze went from her, then to the object in her hand, before once again returning to her face. Emma had intended to ask who he was, but that question quickly slipped her mind when she saw the look in his eyes. He look terrified. She'd never seen such fear in someone's eyes before.

"Tell me, why do you look so afraid." There was once again a small shift in the air, but it yet again it went unnoticed.

Swallowing hard, the man before her had no choice but to answer. "The thing you have in your hand, it's... my heart. Anyone who holds it can control me by simply giving a command."

She stared at him in bewilderment, this thing she was holding was his heart? Was that even possible, to be able to exist without a heart?

Seeing the confusion and doubt in her eyes, he put his hand on his chest, "It's completely empty. There's nothing there."

"May I?" She asked, gesturing to feel for herself. Emma didn't feel the hunter was lying, but she couldn't help want to see for herself.

He pulled away slightly, but then eventually nodded in agreement.

Taking a step forward, Emma slowly placed her hand against his leather clad chest and waited. But the sensation of a heartbeat never came. Thinking she had simply put her hand in the wrong place, she slid her hand over slightly in various directions searching it out. But there was still nothing.

Stepping back, her eyes widen in shock. "I don't feel anything." She says incredulously. "How is that possible?"

"Magic." He explained. "My heart was stolen from me as punishment for sparing someone's life. Stripped of my freedom and being able to really feel, I been a prisoner to whomever uses it ever since."

Emma felt her stomach churn at his story. To be a prisoner to your own heart, unable to feel and to be forced to do whatever your told, what a terrible fate. It was then she realized she too had been unknowingly controlling him this whole time, and that realization made her feel even worse.

She holds out his heart to him. "Here."

The hunter stares at her in disbelief, "You're giving this back to me? What's the catch?" He knew all to well by now, nothing was ever that easy. A person wouldn't just give up that kind of control without wanting something else in return.

Emma shook her head. "There's no catch. I would never want to force someone do something they don't want to. Your heart doesn't belong to me. So here, take back your freedom."

His suspicions of her intent started to fade the more he heard her speak. Taking his heart from her, he held it up near his chest where a bright light emitted from it before returning to where it rightfully belonged.

A rush of emotions shot throughout his entire body, like water braking through a damn. He then found himself instinctively pulling her into an embrace, "Thank you." he whispered quietly. Emma, caught off guard by the gesture, did her best to fight of the tinge of pink that was creeping in to her cheeks.

"Sorry about that." He said somewhat embarrassed as he let her go. "When you haven't been able to really feel for as long as I have, getting it all back at once is... a little overwhelming."

Regaining her composure, she inquired, "How long have you been without it, your heart?"

"A little over two decades."

Her eyes once again widened in shock. The young man didn't look a day over 25, how could he possibly have been without his heart for that long.

As if reading her mind, he answered "Without your heart, you don't age."

The hunter let out a sigh. "But to be honest, for every day I was without my heart and forced to work for Regina, each day felt more like a year."

It was then that all pieces of the puzzle suddenly came together for Emma, making everything finally make sense. She finally remembered why the box and the heart inside seemed so familiar. "You're the Huntsman, aren't you?" He was surprised to see her smile when saying his name, most people shuddered in fear upon hearing it. "My parents told me stories about how you, how you saved both of their lives. I never thought I'd have a chance to meet you."

It takes him a moment, but he quickly figures out who she is aswell. He chuckles quietly, "You're James and Snow's daughter. I should have guessed by your selfless nature."

She smiled, "I'm Emma." The huntsman bowed his head slightly in response.

The young blonde still couldn't belive that the man before was the Huntsman she had heard so many story about as a child. It was both strange and wonderful to finally meet the man that had spared her mother life and helped free her father from Regina's prison. He was much more handsome than she had imagined.

"But, how did your heart get all the way out here?" Emma asked.

"Regina and Maleficent had gotten into one of their fights, in which Maleficent went on a rampage in dragon form throughout the castle. She went after Regina's vault of hearts, and used the wind to send the boxes scattering all over the forest. I've been looking for mine ever since, hoping to find it before someone else did." He then added, "I'm glad you were the one to find it."

The young princess nodded, "As am I."

As it grew quiet between them, Emma found herself disliking the fact that he would likely be leaving soon. "Huntsman, what will you do now, now that you have your heart back?" She asked.

He gave an uncertain shrug, "I don't really know. After being a slave for the past two decades, and then searching for my heart the past year, I haven't really thought about it."

"Why don't you come back to the castle with me, I'm sure my parents would love to see you."

The hunter thought it over for a moment, "Alright."

Emma grinned, "Good. Let's go."

As they walked back to the castle, the Huntsman found himself amused by this whole situation. Who would have ever guessed that the daughter of the woman he sacrificed his heart for, would wind up being the one to find his heart and return it to him. He then thought about how when she gave it back to him, she told him that his heart didn't belong to her, but he was now starting to think, maybe it very well could.


End file.
